North Raleigh Today

Raleigh is once again offering its annual cooking oil and grease collection program, a free service aimed at preventing sewer overflows by keeping grease out of sinks. The seasonal collection will run from November 1, 2024, through January 10, 2025.

Residents and places of worship in Raleigh can participate by calling 919-996-3245 to schedule a pickup on their next collection day. Commercial establishments are not eligible for this service. Additionally, household cooking oil and grease can be recycled at no charge at a Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facility.

To set up a collection date, participants must have at least one gallon of cooking oil ready for pickup, with a maximum limit of three containers. Only animal grease and vegetable cooking oil are accepted curbside; motor oil and other petroleum products are not allowed. Residents should place cooled cooking oil in plastic bottles, jugs, or coffee tins labeled "cooking oil" by 7:30 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Glass containers will not be collected.

Improper disposal of fats, oils, and grease down drains is a leading cause of sewer overflows. When these substances enter the sewer system, they can adhere to pipes and combine with non-flushable waste like wipes and diapers to form blockages known as "fatbergs." These blockages can lead to sewer overflows.

The collected grease from Raleigh residents and places of worship is refined into biofuels—a renewable energy source used for powering vehicles, heating homes, and cooking food.